KOZHIKODE,
MARCH 24.
Kozhikode city needs a convention centre of international repute if it has to attract more tourists, the Minister for Public Works, M.K. Muneer, has said.

Lack of good accommodation and had made people shun Kozhikode while organising international seminars and conferences, Dr. Muneer said, while inaugurating the renovated Tagore Centenary Hall here today.

The centralised air-conditioned hall with enhanced sound system and facilities for screening films will henceforth be known as Tagore Centenary Theatre. A sum of Rs 1.15 crores has been spent to give its interior a facelift. Dr. Muneer said local bodies should envisage better projects at a time when the tourism industry was getting more prominence in shaping the economy. The State Government had already drawn up projects such as the Kothi overbridge, Eranhipalam road and fourth phase of the Kozhikode By-pass as part of developing the roads in Kozhikode. Reminiscing his days as a corporator of Kozhikode Corporation during the 1988-94 period, Dr. Muneer said political parties should also sink their differences for the sake of development.

Lapse of funds

The issue of funds lapse by local bodies would be taken up at the next Cabinet meeting. He said this, while responding to a request from the Mayor, Thottathil Ravindran, that the Corporation would lose a substantial amount.

Presiding over the function, Mr. Ravindran said that the theatre had been renovated to provide good service to the public and not to run it on a commercial basis. It would be ideal to fix Rs. 15,000 as rent. But it would be decided by the council, he said.

Mr. Ravindran said that the Council was now going through a glorious period since it had several achievements to its credit.

Mr. Ravindran lauded the efforts of the architect R.K. Ramesh, who prepared the renovation.